Inching Along...

I'm inching along on the Blueberry Cheese Spread. I joined the blocks and inner sashing Thursday but it pretty much looks the same as here.

(No~this isn't me or DD~just a cute girl on an Inchworm riding toy that popped up when I Goggled
'inchworm'!)

I pieced the sub-units to the outer borders earlier today. Next up is to work on putting these units together. I'm making this a twin size and I had forgotten when you add more blocks for a bigger than lap-size, it takes an equally longer time to sew and finish.

So I'll be here 'inching along' as time permits...

:)

WIP Wednesday

I got nuthin'...well very little to share :)

I did make a batch of Mare's Crockpot Chili for Ash Wednesday dinner (no meat added). I thought it was yummy and look forward to the leftovers for lunch!

No sewing fairies live in my sewing room so the tops don't magically get sewed into flimsies while I attend to the more mundane household chores.

May I borrow YOUR sewing fairies to help?! Please! :)

Errand Day Tuesday

Monday was a sick day for DD and a trip to the Dr.
Diagnosis: garden variety cold with dry cough. Cool.
If head congestion doesn't clear up in 10 days...return to Dr. Cool.

That made today my errand day.

First stop: Packaged up the QOV quilts and pillowcases for Alycia. Had to smile when I saw what moving box I had picked up...that's right....Fabric from the sewing room! and this time there are quilts in it! :)

Second stop: Baby's Doctor. The 'Doctor' wasn't in but the 'nurse' took a look at her and asked the Mommy some questions. Okay, color me stupid, come to find out when I re-assemble the bobbin area after cleaning...I put it together in the wrong order and thus, throwing off the precision Baby needs to sew correctly. Ummm....that lesson would have been helpful 2 years ago! But the best part! The 'nurse' was free! I can hardly wait for tomorrow when Baby and I will be able to sew and *see* if that was the only adjustment she needed.

Third stop: I lost a whole box of vacuum cleaner bags so I headed way North to get some, like a 45 minute drive. Glad it was sunny and dry. Close to the vacuum cleaner shop is a Hobby Lobby! Happy to report that no fabric followed me home. :)

A Monday Finish

Sewed the binding back and the label on this 'softer' QOV Panel quilt today. As I type this, it is in the washer. Another step closer to mailing my QOV's to their 'Forever Homes'. :)

I originally saw this quilt and modeled mine after it on Alycia's blog.

Stash Busting Report Week #8

This past week was a 'catch-all, catch-up' type of sewing week for me. No quilt finishes but very close on the QOV panel as it needs it's binding sewn back and label. Believe it or not, the label is already made! woohoo! A very sweet friend gifted me with 3.5 yards of a novelty fabric that will make an excellent backing for a child's donation quilt. With my use of brights, I somehow end up gifted with bold, bright, big novelty prints along with, "I thought you could use it on the back of one of your bright kids' donations!". :)

My report follows:

Fabric added this week: 3.5 yards
Fabric added this year: 17 yards

Fabric used this week: - 7.5 yards
Fabric used this year: -42 yards

Net fabric for the year: -25 yards

What I accomplished this week:

• made 4 QOV pillowcases
• made 8 QOV labels
• pieced 4 wonky stars for the Bushfire Quilt Project
• pieced and quilted QOV Panel
• pieced blocks for Blueberry Cheese Spread

Goals for next week:

• hand sew binding/label to QOV panel
• continue to prep QOV's for Alycia
• piece Blueberry Cheese Spread to a flimsy

While I was playing at making another placemat purse, Baby suffered another injury. Top on the list will get her to the Baby Doctor. She just can't seem to sew through the many thicknesses of the seams on the placemats. My old Elna used to sew through absolutely any thickness. I think I either need to find a 'tougher' sewing machine or 'give up' my placemat purse additions. Any ideas on a 'tougher' sewing machine?! because, of course, I can't have too many placemat purses now, can I? LOL

Blueberry Cheese Spread

Today is the day that the FAB's (Cher, Norma, Pam and Linda) set aside for our virtual sewing day, which as luck would have it, coincided with JudyL's Quilt-a-thon. The pattern we are sewing is Cheese and Crackers by Terry Atkinson. I managed to sew together my 25 blocks and cut the background spacers for the center. Now I need to stop and get ready for the Milwaukee Admirals hockey game.

Here is my Blueberry Cheese Spread on the design flannel.

ps. Today was a good day to sew as Ole Man Winter is dumping snow on us. DH has been out twice to blow the driveway...Bless His Heart! :)

Thursday's Tally

7 quilts labeled

7 quilts washed

1 pillowcase made

1 quilt finished quilting
(this post)

1 binding made

Is it cold outside?

Then head over to Lynn's blog and her Ice Day Give Away! It will warm your heart as she is giving away a JELLY ROLL! Yummy! and Paushki Day is just around the corner! (ok, I'm not Polish and I don't know how to spell 'paushki' and neither does Blogger but I do LOVE to eat one!) Today is the last day to enter so hurry on over! :)

WIP Wednesday

Today was a very productive day in the sewing room!

I made three more QOV pillowcases bringing my total to seven.

DH was interested in *seeing* Valerie do some sewing, so I pieced together this *softer* red/white and blue flimsy. I saw a quilt that I used as my model on Alycia's blog, quilt here. This panel is a piece of fabric I brought at Hobby Lobby when it was marked down to 75% off. I finished the outer border this morning then loaded the top and back this afternoon.

Tonight after dinner, I sewed a few rows using the popcorn pantograph. Hopefully, tomorrow I will finish the quilting and perhaps get the binding made and sewn to the front. Maybe one more pillowcase, too. :)

A Helping Hand

Last week as I was reading through blogs, there were opportunities presented to help others devastated by the Bushfires in Australia.

Tracy of Oz Country Quilting Mum is organizing a collection of 12.5 inch (unfinished) sampler blocks in burgundy, plaids, checks, and cream. The block is your choice. Her post can be found here.

Jan Mac of Sew Many Quilts is collecting 'Quilt as You Go' blocks. Her post (and tutorial) can be found here.

I was reading Jacquie's post about the Bushfire Quilt Project, which lead me to Tia's blog. Tia is collecting wonky 12.5 inch (unfinished) star blocks. The tutorial I followed is from Victoria and can be found here. Bonnie of Quiltville has given permission to use a variation of her Maverick Star for this project.

I decided to make 4 wonky star blocks to send to Tia (she provides an APO address to mail the package to...and I'll need a customs form, too). I had just enough of the black multi-colored stripe fabric to make the 4 blocks. The center is actually black with multi-colored polka dots. I decided on this Bushfire Quilt Project because my stash tends to be brights, novelties and, lately red, white and blue. Also I wanted to try the wonky stars without making a entire quilt from the stars. Making these blocks as a helping hand is a good fit for me! :)